Cotton-chopper.



1. H. DWIGHT.

COTTON CHOPPER. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 12, 1918.

Patented Nov. 5,1918.

3 $HETS-SHEEI I.

WITNESSES A TTOR/VEYS .5. H. DWIGHT.

COTTON CHOPPER.

n m 5 E V W 0 VJ W0 m 0 N m m mm m,

P QM hm w k T- .Q m M\ m n I N m m M ww H m 0W m: mums aw m. mam-ma. manna-1w. a c.

J. H. DWIGHT.

comm CHOPPER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 12, 1.9]8.

PatenteulNov. 5, 1918. 3 SHEETISTSHEET 3.

WITNESSES A TTUR/VEV'S end is formed with a rise or arch 19 At the front, diametrically opposite the rise 19*, the track is depressed as at 19*. Inasmuch as the blades 22 are pivotally supported for vertical rocking through the medium of their carrying yokes 26 and the pivots providedby the set screws 28, the yokes will accommodate themselves to the elevated and depressed portions of the track, so that the blades in rotating, will give a downward sweep to effect the chopping action as each blade reaches the front of the track. As the blades reach the rear of the track they will be lifted and clear the row of plants.

I provide a harrow at the front of the im- .plement. As best shown in Fig. 2, the harrow comprises opposite main side bars oblique to each other and to the tongue 12, and 'pivotally supported by bolts 46 (Fig. 3)

' on a depending hanger 47, which is secured to the tongue 12. Additional bars 48, 49, are disposed between and rearward of the outer harrow bars 45 and are arranged after the manner of toggle members. The bars 48 are pivoted at 50 to the main bars 45, and are pivoted to each other, as at 51 at their crossing points. Similarly the bars 49 are pivote'd to the bars 48, as at 52, and are pivotally connected to each other at their crossing points as at'53. The bars 49 are suspended from the tongue 12 by additional hangers 47*. The hangers 47, 47 are secured to the tongue 12 bybolts 47 which may be passed through any oneof a vertical series of holes 47 P in said hangers. Each of the bars 48 is bent downwardly and forwardly to provide harrow teeth 54. The several pivotal connections' between the harrow bars areelfected through the medium of bolts, as clearly seen in F ig. 3, and the construction is such that the harrow may be contracted or expanded laterally.

Cultivator-shovels 55 are mounted in the rear of the chopper blades. The said shovels are carried by beams 56 and these beams are "slidableon bars 57, being fitted to the latter by sleeves 58 that slide on the said bars 57, the forward ends of the beams 56 being pivoted to the sleeves by screw studs 59 and nuts 60, or equivalent means. At the rear ends the beams 56 are hung on crank shafts 61, which rock at their outer ends in bearings 62 on the side bars 10, and at their inner ends in bearing 63, which are mounted on the rear cross bar 64 of the frame. The cross bar 64 has depressions 65 adjacent to the crank shafts 61 to accommodate the beams 56. The cultivator beams 56 are centered on the crank shafts 61 by means of collars 66 and set screws 67 that secure the collars in fixed position at any desired point.

In order to rock either crank shaft 61 to raise or lower either cultivator shovel 55, a hand lever 68 is provided on each crank shaft and equipped with the usual latch 69 to engage a curved rack 70.

I provide means whereby to raise or lower the track 19 and thereby raise or lower the chopper blades 22. As one example of means for the purpose, I have shown a nut 71 which is threaded onto the upper end of the spindle 18, the said nut bearing against the upper end of the block 17.

In the raising or lowering of the track, the chopper blades also will be raised and lowered and in order that the raising of the blades will not strain the track, the sleeve 29 to which the yokes carrying the chopper blades are pivoted, is made to rest at its lower end against the head or collar 21 on the spindle 18. The upper end of the sleeve 29, when the latter is raised, is accommodated in an annular recess 72, in

the under side of the block 17. The sleeve 29 is permitted a sliding movement through the bevel gear 32, the latter being splined to the sleeve as at 73. The sleeve 29 may have a sliding movement also through a collar 74, which in the present example is hung from the front cross bar 14, or other member of the frame, by a hanger member 75 integral with said collar.

It will be understood that any other suitable means may be employed for permitting the vertical movement of the track and chopper blades in response to an upward movement of the spindle 18. The pivots provided by the set screws 28, for instance, constitute a means to vertically adjust the yokes on the sleeves separately from the vertical adjustment of the spindle and track instead of simultaneously raising and lowering the yokes and track.

I would state in conclusion that while the illustrated example constitutes a practical embodiment of my invention, I do not limit myself strictly to the mechanical details herein illustrated, since manifestly the same can be considerably varied without departure from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In an apparatus of the character described, a member mounted to turn about a vertical axis and pivoted to rock in a vertical plane, a chopper element on said member, actuating means for said member, and

. aeaova a W a track on which said member travels, said track having a depression therein to permit a downward movement of the said element in chopping.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, a yoke mounted to turn about a vertical axisand pivoted between its ends for up-and-down rocking movement, arms carried by the yoke at opposite sides of its axis, chopper blades on said arms, rollers on the arms, a track on which the rollers travel, said track presenting a depression and an opposed elevation to tilt said yoke on its pivots, and means for actuating the yoke.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, a frame, a substantially vertical spindle on said frame, a loose sleeve on the spindle, means for turning the sleeve, a track carried by the spindle, a yoke mounted to turn with the sleeve and pivoted with the latter to tilt vertically thereon, arms on the yoke having members resting on the track, said track having sinuosities to tilt the yoke .as it turns, chopping blades on said arms, and means to raise and lower the spindle.

4:- In an apparatus of the character described, a frame, a substantially vertical spindle on said frame, a track on said spindle, a sleeve loose on the spindle, a chopper element pivoted on the sleeve to rock vertically and having members running on the track, said track having a depression and an elevation to tilt the chopping element, a gear wheel on the sleeve, a horizontal shaft, a gear wheel slidable on said shaft into and out of engagement with the first and an elevation to tilt the chopping element, means for actuating the sleeve, and means for vertically adjusting the spindle, the said sleeve being supported on said spindle to rise with the spindle when the latter is raised.

6. lln an apparatus of the character described, a frame, a vertical spindle on the frame, means for vertically adjusting the spindle, a track on the spindle having an elevation and a depression, a sleeve loose on the spindle, a yoke carrying chopping elements at opposite sides of the sleeve and having members running on said track, set screws pivotally mounting the yoke on the sleeve and constituting a means to vertically adjust the position of the yoke, and means for actuating the sleeve.

lln testimony whereof l[ have signed my name to the above specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES H. nwien'r.

Witnesses:

Gno. 0. KING, Jno. lD. RUssELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. it. 

